Forever Ago Superman: An immigrant's story
Nov 8, 2023
Superman, the first superhero, was created by two teens from Cleveland in the 1930s. His origin story was inspired by their experiences as children of immigrants. The hosts discuss creating a new superhero, their favorite superheroes and inventions, and the challenges faced by immigrants. They also explore the early success of Superman, the process of creating their own origin stories, and the impact of popular superheroes. They hint at an upcoming episode on the history of Thanksgiving.
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Superman's Foundational Role
- Superman was the first costumed superhero and set the template for modern heroes like Batman and Spider-Man.
- The episode links Superman's creation directly to the broader superhero tradition and its origins in the 1930s.
High School Friendship Sparked Creation
- Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster met in high school in Cleveland and bonded over science fiction and comics.
- They teamed up with Siegel writing and Shuster drawing, forming the creative duo behind early comic projects.
Early Comics Were Practice
- Siegel and Shuster made many amateur comic strips like Interplanetary Police and Popular Comics while learning their craft.
- Their early pitches failed but taught them storytelling and art skills they later used for Superman.